I Never Told You What I Do For a Living
by Believe in Fairy Tales
Summary: They were betrayed by the one they trusted most. They were sent on an impossible mission - sent to die. One-shot. Please R&R


**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, or the song featured in this fic. I do own a pair of socks, though.**

**This is my first attempt at a song fic…had this planned out for a long time in my head before I decided to write it out :P **

**It's based on the song 'I Never Told You What I Do For a Living' by My Chemical Romance. I highly suggest listening to this song before or while you read this, just to get the feeling over the story **

**Yeah…I'm into angsty music like that…but only if it's good!**

**R&R asseblief **

_Stay out of the light_

_Or the photograph that I gave you_

_You can say a prayer if you need to_

_Or just get in line and I'll grieve you_

When Hayuki was summoned to the Hokage's office, it was the dead of night. Every stall in the market was closed, every door and window locked. Even the stray dogs had lain down for the night.

_Can I meet you, alone_

_Another night and I'll see you_

_Another night and I'll be you_

_Some other way to continue_

_To hide my face_

She made her way to the Hokage tower and scaled the tall structure, more nimble and agile than even the stray cats that prowled the city streets. Her black ANBU uniform made her almost impossible to pick out in the dense shadows. In mere moments, she was at the Hokage's open window. Silent as a ghost, she slipped inside and stood to attention behind the Hokage's chair.

The Hokage herself was bent over a large stack of paperwork on the desk, seemingly absorbed in her task. But Hayuki knew better.

"Glad you could make it at such a late hour, Hayuki," Tsunade commented, not even looking up from her paperwork.

"I come whenever my Hokage needs me," the ANBU replied, her face as expressionless as the white porcelain mask she wore.

"Just what I'd expect from a high-ranking kunoichi such as yourself," Tsunade turned in her chair, offering Hayuki a rare smile.

The kunoichi shifted her mask – painted with the markings of a tiger – and returned the smile.

Tsunade turned back to her desk and rummaged through the pages, eventually finding a plain manila envelope and drawing it out.

"I have a new assignment for you," the Hokage said, handing Hayuki the envelope. "Effective immediately. All the details you need are in that envelope."

Hayuki nodded and replaced her mask, making her way towards the open window.

"Oh, and Hayuki?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" the ANBU turned slightly, pausing mid-stride.

"I know you usually work solo, but I'm assigning you a partner for this mission. He'll meet you at the gates when you're ready to leave."

Grateful that her mask hid her frown, Hayuki nodded and leaped out the window, disappearing into the inky night.

_Another knife in my hands_

_A stain that never comes off the sheets_

_Clean me off_

_I'm so dirty babe_

_The kind of dirty where the water never cleans off the clothes_

Hayuki read the contents of the envelope on her way back to her apartment.

Their target was a prominent businessman from Sand who had been found to have underhand dealings with some well-known gangs in the area. Hayuki and her yet unknown partner were being sent to eliminate him before the gangs became too powerful and caused trouble within the village.

Right off the bat, Hayuki thought something seemed strange about this mission. There was no prior authorization from the Sand for this mission, and only the businessman's physical address had been given. Not even a photograph or an accurate description. She shrugged and sighed to herself as she neared her apartment.

Who was she to question orders?

Hayuki was quick gathering what she needed for the mission. The contents in the envelope stated it would be a three day mission, including travelling. She packed a few extra items of clothing into her small pack, strapped her shuriken holsters to her thigh and assorted other weapons to the pouches attached to her belt. Finally, she located her kukri knives and checked the oddly-shaped blades were sharpened before sliding them back into their sheaths and attaching them to another holster on her right thigh. They may have been oddly-shaped and unusual, but they were the most effective assassination tool she used.

_I keep a book of the names and those_

_Only go so far 'til you bury them_

_So deep and down we go_

Hayuki made her way quickly to the main gates and saw another figure in ANBU uniform already waiting for her. Their mask was modeled after a lion.

"Hayuki Kuchiki?" the figure asked. By their voice the kunoichi could tell it was a man.

She nodded in confirmation and gestured to the envelope she carried. "I assume Hokage-sama has debriefed you?"

The man nodded. "She informed me of the mission not long before you."

"And you would be?" Hayuki adjusted her mask so she could see her partner better.

The lion ANBU shifted his mask, revealing short black hair and bright blue eyes, and extended a hand. "Renji Kurosaki."

Hayuki shook his hand briefly and indicated towards the gates with a motion of her head. "I think we should get moving. The sooner this mission is over, the better."

"Agreed," Renji nodded, replacing his mask.

Hayuki moved her mask back into place, effectively hiding her piercing green eyes from view. She scooped her long brown hair into a tight ponytail and the pair set off, taking to the trees and moving as silently as the shadows that hid them from view.

_Touched by angels, though I fall out of grace_

_I did it all so maybe I'd live this every day_

_Another knife in my hands_

_Another stain that never comes off the sheets_

_Clean me off_

_I'm so dirty babe_

_It ain't the money and it sure as hell ain't just for the fame_

_It's for the bodies I claim and lose_

Hayuki and Renji waited outside the businessman's house until all the people on the streets had retired to their homes and the moon hung high in the dark night sky.

There was complete silence as they picked the lock on the front door and stole inside, concealed by shadows.

Once inside, they set about looking for their target, kunai drawn, highly alert. They crept through the sitting room, making their way towards the staircase that would take them to the upstairs bedrooms.

_Down_

_And down we go_

_And down we go_

_And down we go_

_And we all fall down_

_I tried_

Suddenly, Hayuki stopped, tensing. Something definitely wasn't right. A few feet away, Renji paused as well, cocking an ear, listening intently to something.

Hayuki listened as well. It sounded…it sounded like shouting, coming from down the road. And it was getting closer.

Eyes widening behind her porcelain mask, Hayuki barely had time to shout the word "Ambush!" before the front door was being broken down.

The pair of ANBU leaped over the couch and dashed into the kitchen, making for the large window right above the sink. With a loud crash, they smashed through the window and leaped into the dark alleyway that ran past the back of the house, the guards in hot pursuit.

Hayuki and Renji bolted through the confusing network of alleys, the guards never too far behind. Hayuki cursed and turned down another dark alley after Renji. They had been set up. The Sand nin knew they were coming. They had been _waiting_ for them the whole time. Now it all made sense – the lack of confirmation on their assignment, the lack of information about their target…he didn't exist. Konoha had sent them here to die.

Trying to push down the sharp sting of betrayal, Hayuki snapped back to the present and pushed Renji out the way when another Sand nin came flying out of an opening in the alley wall. Nimbly jumping over him, the two ANBU kept running. But it was too late. The Sand nin were catching up fast. Taking a few sharp bends, the pair of ANBU managed to shake the Sand nin for a moment.

Hayuki pushed Renji down a dark side path. "Go!" She ordered. "If we split up, we'll confuse them!"

"But-" Renji started to protest, but Hayuki shoved him back into the alleyway. The Sand nin were getting closer.

"Just go!" she snapped, taking off in the other direction as the enemy nin caught sight of her again.

_And we'll all dance alone to the tune of your death_

_We'll love again, we'll laugh again_

_And it's better off this way_

Three more Sand shinobi burst out in front of Hayuki and she skidded to a halt, drawing both her kukri knives in one fluid motion. It looked like she would have to fight her way out.

She slashed at the ninja closest to her, and he went down with a strangled cry. The others started closing in, and Hayuki tore down the ninja infront of her before bolting into the shadows. But the Sand nin weren't so easily deterred. The next thing Hayuki knew, she was face down on the ground, her ankles caught in a throwing net. Cursing, she desperately tried to wriggle free.

But one of the Sand shinobi body-slammed her to the ground, driving the air from her lungs. She struggled wildly, but a sharp blow to the back of the head knocked her unconscious.

_And never again, and never again_

_They gave us two shots to the back of the head_

_And we're all dead now_

Hayuki was roughly pushed out into the empty sunlit arena, wrists bound, and made to walk to the other end of the amphitheater. Her expression was blank, and she walked with an air of resignation to her fate. She walked slowly, aware that every step she took could be her last.

_And never again, and never again_

_They gave us two shots to the back of the head_

_And we're all dead now_

She held her head high, refusing to give the Sand shinobi the satisfaction of seeing her shaken. She was made to stand infront of a tall wooden pole, embedded in the ground. A team of executioners stood in a line before her. They all held senbon, and Hyuki knew on impulse that they were poisoned. Her mouth set itself in a grim line. She was a kunoichi. She was trained not to fear death.

She watched her executioners take their positions and draw their weapons. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

_Well I tried_

_One more night_

_One more night_

_Well I'm laughin' out, cryin' out, laughin' out loud_

_I tried, well I tried, well I tried_

'_Cause I tried, but I lied_

_I lied_

Suddenly, a barrage of smoke bombs were thrown down into the arena, the executioners blinded. Hayuki's eyes snapped open in time to see a vague shadow drop down from above and slit every one of the enemy shinobi's throats while they were trying to fight their way out of the haze.

More Sand nin started pouring into the arena, searching for the threat. Renji suddenly appeared out of the smoke, dashing towards Hayuki with grim determination plastered on his face.

He swifty slit the ropes binding her wrists and threw her one of her kukri knives. Heart thudding in her throat, Hayuki grasped the knife and deflected a barrage of kunai thrown at her from her left.

A Sand nin appeared behind her and she spun on her heel, slashing his throat in one fluid movement. Renji fought off a few more enemies and grabbed Hayuki's wrist, dragging her behind them as they made for an opening in the arena wall. Renji threw down a few more smoke bombs, blinding the ninja chasing after them as they disappeared into the tunnel.

They burst out into the crowded market place, dodging past people as they were chased by the irate Sand nin. Renji pulled out more smoke bombs and threw them down, pulling Hayuki with him down a small side alley. The two of them ran flat out, twisting and turning with the alleys.

Hayuki was half blinded by tears, stumbling after her silent team mate as they ran for their lives.

_And we'll love again, we'll laugh again_

_We'll cry again, and we'll dance again_

_And it's better off this way_

_So much better off this way_

_I can't clean the blood off the sheets in my bed_

The main gates to the Sand village were finally in sight. With the last of his smoke bombs, Renji threw both himself and Hayuki out of the gates, pulling a detonator out of his pocket as he did so. As the pair hit the ground, he pushed the button. Almost in slow motion, Hayuki watched the gates of Suna explode, giant flames roaring at the smoke-filled sky.

Renji pulled her to her feet and grasped her hand tighter.

"We have to keep moving," he said, tugging her after him.

As the pair dashed into the cover of the forest, Hayuki looked back at Suna one last time. She wondered what was going to happen to them now. They had no place to go, disowned from their own village for something neither of them knew about.

Hayuki's hear dropped to her feet. They were missing nin now.

_And never again, and never again_

_They gave us two shots to the back of the head_

_And we're all dead now_


End file.
